Tank adapters, such as donker bolts, are often used to connect external objects, such as ladders or control panels, to the sidewall of a tank or vessel. Other types of tank adapters, such as bolted tank flanges, may be installed into a tank sidewall to provide an access point through which chemicals, fluids, or other substances being retained within the tank can pass through for use in a fabrication process or a chemical manufacturing process. These tank adapters are attached to a tank wall by tightening nuts on the bolts that pass through holes in the tank wall. The tank adapter must be tightly held to the tank wall to avoid leaks of materials retained within the tank.
Donker bolts and bolted tank flanges, however, are often difficult to install. For example, these tank adapters are often over compressed when installed such that the gasket of the tank adapter is deformed and leaks. Such over compression is often undetected until after the tank is filled with material. Consequently, the replacement of the deformed gasket is normally a time consuming, expensive and, depending upon the material being retained by the tank, also dangerous task because the leaking material must be removed from the tank prior to replacing the deformed gasket. This increases the cost and time associated with installing tank adapters.
Additionally, there is often a problem that occurs when the tank adapter's connection to the tank wall has loosened and a leak results. Typically, when tank adapters begin to have a loose fit, the tank adapter bolts are corroded by the substances retained by the tank before the tank begins to leak. Often, there is a delay between when the leak occurs and when the leak is later identified. Such a delay can provide time for the bolts to be completely destroyed and cause major leaks that result from the tank adapter being released by the bolts attaching the tank adapter to the tank or vessel wall.
Consequently, there is a great need for tank adapters that control the compression between the tank adapter and the tank wall to prevent over compression. Such a tank adapter should also make detecting small leaks possible so that corrective action can be taken before a major leak occurs.